Tennessee hired Danny White as its new athletic director on Thursday.
White has been serving in the same role at UCF for the past five-plus years. He also was the AD at Buffalo for 3 1/2 years before taking over the Knights’ athletic program in November of 2015.
“Danny White is an innovative leader in college athletics with a strong track record in recruiting and developing leaders,” Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement. “He brings the combination of winning attitude, competitive drive, and dedication to integrity and academics that we are looking for.”
White replaces Philip Fulmer, who said earlier this week that he would retire once the new hire is in place.
“I am thrilled to be headed to Knoxville and to a university with a great competitive tradition and a spirited and devoted fan base,” White said. “Volunteer fans have an expectation to win, and my first task will be taking on the search for a new head football coach. But I want all Vols to know that I am deeply committed to excellence in all of our athletic programs.”
Tennessee fired football coach Jeremy Pruitt on Monday following an internal investigation into the program’s recruiting violations.
The Volunteers have fallen on hard times as a football program with eight losing seasons in the past 13 campaigns.
White helped lead a turnaround at UCF. The Orlando school went 0-12 in 2015 and but it later went 13-0 in 2017 and 12-1 in 2018.
UCF billed itself as national champions following the 2017 season under coach Scott Frost when it wasn’t seriously considered for a College Football Playoff spot.
When Frost left for Nebraska, White promoted Josh Heupel to head coach and the latter was a combined 22-4 over his first two seasons.
White signed a five-year extension reportedly worth more than $1 million annually with UCF in March of 2020.
White is the son of Duke athletic director Kevin White and the brother of Florida basketball coach Mike White.
